Barna and Joe welcome one of the most exciting new voices in crime fiction. Owen Laukkanen, author of THE PROFESSIONALS, discusses his journey from poker journalist to garnering glowing reviews for a debut novel that's shooting to the top of bestseller lists.

This episode may be the last for the spring, but Culture Wars will be back in the fall!

How do you combine classic hard-boiled noir with a supernatural thriller about the collector of souls? Chris F. Holm, the award winning author of the new novel DEAD HARVEST, tells Barna and Joe on this latest special edition of Culture Wars.Join them for a discussion of all things dark, edgy, and dangerous in crime and supernatural fiction.

The special series of book podcasts continues as Barna talks to author Jennifer B. White about publishing, publicity, screenwriting, and the author in the world of social media!

Jennifer is the author of the new supernatural novels DEAD ASLEEP and OTHERWISE, as well as a Public Relations professional, screenwriter, and writer of advertising copy for the poster art of such Hollywood blockbusters as ROBIN HOOD, SCOTT PILGRIM, THE WOLFMAN and SKYLINE. She discusses how Hollywood and the world of publishing intersect and how every new author needs to be his or her own most active publicist. For published authors and those who aspire to see their names in print, this is an episode you can't miss!

The new season of Culture Wars will feature a series of special podcast interviews with authors whose unique voices and styles have the publishing world talking.

In our first episode, Anthony and Crimespree Award-winning author Hilary Davidson joins Joe and Barna to talk about her new book, THE NEXT ONE TO FALL. A sequel to her acclaimed debut novel, THE DAMAGE DONE, Hilary's new book follows her heroine, Lily Moore, as she travels to Peru and encounters murder.

Check out the interview for some fascinating insights on the writing life, crime fiction, and a fascinating discussion about the serious side of a genre that has been called the most socially conscious category of fiction on the market today.

Barna and Joe close the year by having a scary interview with Carla Buckley. The author of the incredibly suspenseful THE THINGS THAT KEEP US HERE discusses her research for her novel about a devastating bird flu pandemic. Just how worried do we really need to be and what should every person have prepared in case the worse happens? The book might be a work of fiction, but as the interview reveals, the threat is all too real. Check it out by downloading right now! And read the book!!

Plus, in the spirit of the holiday season, we tell you why the right thing to do right now for joy and happiness...is to go out and buy some neat stuff!

And who would order up a nice, well-done helping of horse burger? Maybe with a delicious order of fries?

This may be the last episode of the year, but Culture Wars will be back!

Barna and Joe ring in Halloween with a discussion of Dracula and classic horror literature...as well as some Sherlock Holmes tossed into the mix. They are joined by Leslie Klinger, author of the new anthology, IN THE SHADOW OF DRACULA, to discuss the Bram Stoker classic and the impact it had on horror and vampire mythology. Since their guest is also one of the leading scholars of Sherlock Holmes and a technical advisor on the Robert Downey Jr. films, check out this interview for an inside scoop or two on the new film due in theaters later this year!

Plus, the hosts toss some questions out for anyone in college: with a sagging job market, crushing tuition bills and student loans, is a college education still worth the time and money?

If business headlines weren't frightening enough, Barna and Joe talk to H.T. Narea, author of THE FUND, a new thriller about economic terrorism. Hear them discuss the troubling state of the global financial system and the very real possibility of terrorists destroying the world economy.

In a special episode of Culture Wars, Barna talks to Frank Bill, the acclaimed author of CRIMES IN SOUTHERN INDIANA. Listen to a discussion of the genesis of a hot new novel that had critics calling its author one of the "10 new Steinbecks" on the literay scene today. If you're a crime-novel fan, a literary fiction fan, or an aspiring author, this interview is not to be missed!

Culture Wars goes dark as noir when Joe and Barna talk to Michael Ayoob, author of the Shamus Award-winning novel IN SEARCH OF MERCY. Check it out for a discussion of dark crime and reality in entertainment.

Barna and Joe are joined by special guest Joelle Charbonneau to discuss her latest Rebecca Robbins mystery, SKATING OVER THE LINE! Check it out and hear what her quirky characters are up to in the sequel to her debut novel, SKATING AROUND THE LAW, and how the life of an author changes after the publication of her first book.

Plus, Culture Wars wants to know if you're as upset by the Facebook changes as the rest of the world seems to be. We talk social media and spice up the discussion with some big questions about religion in the post-9/11 world.